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Yesterday, New York saw temperatures rise into the nineties, while literarians melted over to the west side for slew of literary parties related to the 2013 Book Expo of America. Team Literary Man was lucky enough to snag an invite from People Magazine, whose lovely book party took place on the 16th floor of the Ink Lounge, over on 11th Ave between 47th and 48th street. This post is just a small shout out to Kim Hubbard and the editorial staff at People for throwing such an excellent event.

Here’s the view looking over the river:

Among the literarians spotted at the party were: Jonathan Lethem (Lionel Essrog remains one of our all-time favorite narrators), Melissa Joan Hart (Clarissa explains it all!), academy-award winner Octavia Spenser, and a slew of editors, agents, publicists, and other literati. Full bar, delicious snacks floating around on perfectly balanced trays, everyone eager to talk about what they’re reading and excited to read in the months ahead. Team Literary Man was pleased to catch up with not one but two former professors from ye old days of grad school at Columbia, whose books you can check out here and here, and who are both always generous with their advice on writing and the industry. We also spoke with several writers, a bit star-struck (understandably), who had traveled from different parts of the country including Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, and Michigan just to attend the party, having received invitations because their books had reviewed. Imagine having your book get a little blurb in People and then getting an invitation in the email to a glamorous literary party on the roof of some swank hotel! The writers we spoke with were having a wonderful time, were thrilled to be invited (just like us!), and were all too eager to tell us about their upcoming projects.

Here was the view of the city near sunset:

In an age when people lament the death of the book, it’s lovely to see that the Book Party is still alive and well, and, really, it’s all about the party, right? Thx to you, People, for the invite, and for still covering the literary world’s latest in print and online.